Incorporating The College Parent 5 TRR No. 20 Registered at the G.P.O. Melbourne, for transmission by post as a periodical MARCH, 1969 EDITORIAL WORKING TOGETHER Living in families is natural to humankind; not only in father-mother-children units, but also in larger groupings of tribes and nations, !\. - rill, with the development of modern com­ -" munications, men are now striving to achieve world-wide unity. The Geelong College family is a growing tribal unit. Traditionally, Old Boys gave the only organized support enjoyed by the College, and their loyalty still appears able to rise to any occasion, but gradually there has grown up a strong body of reinforcement from other directions: first the Campbell House Parenh' Association, th en the Preparatory School Women's Auxiliary, and in recent years a comprehensive Parents' and Friends' Associa­ tion. We recall th e successes of a few year; back, leading to the building of th e new Pre­ paratory School, when parents shared with Old Boys in the toil and the triumphs. CONTINUITY A school needs its parents, and not only as The Principal of the College (Mr. Peter Thwaites) photographed on Speech paying customers. It is important, for instance, Day with Sir Arthur Coles, Chairman of the College Council 1939-68, and Dr. that the home should favour the efforts of the Norman Wettenhall, Chairman 1969, both of who m are Old Collegians. Principal and his teaching staff. Since parents normally represent a variety of occupations, Sir Arthur has two Old Colleg ian sons and a grandson who is at present in the senior localities and interests, they can broaden the school. Dr. Wettenhall is the elder son of the late Dr. R. R. Wettenhall (a Collegian under outlook of the whole school community by Dr. Morrison and a member of Council for 32 years), and is the father of one Old Collegian entering into its life. By contrast, a school is and one present Colleg ian. almost helpless when aHlicted with adve rse or Both families have therefore b een represented at the College by t hree generations. pathetic home attitudes. Photo: G eelong Advertiser ~ The College has been fortunate . It has gained und e rstanding and real e nthusiasm, as shown by th e fact that many fath e rs and mothers travel long distances to attend school Parent Groups Active functions and educational discuss ions. Lately it has found the parent body reserving to itself The 1968 programme of the Parents' and Friends' Association concluded with the honour of modernizing the Morrison Hall. an address by Professor John Legge (O.G.C.) , of Monash University. on "University To go from th e sublime to th e not-quite­ Students and their parents-from Study Habits to Student Action."' ridiculous, past and present pupils know th e Prof. Legge stated that University students are treated as adults. Considerable pare ntal devotion that goes into such an a p­ help is available to them, but they can take it or leave it. parently simple operation as the fielding of a football team. This situation indicates to parents and secondary schools that. to be successful. a student needs to possess a considerable degree of maturity and his own standards In any family, a profitable relationship d e­ of conduct on arrival at the University. pends on efficient communication between its The committee will again be led by Dr. Keith Torode, of Colac. as president. membe rs. W ith this issue, Ad A stra, while Mrs. H. Revie becomes secretary in place of Mrs. A. E. Head, who ably filled the maintaining its service to Old Collegians, position for the past two years. assumes a lso the function of Th e College Parent. Thus it now has the responsibility of Activities for 1969 were launched on February 28 with a discussion directed to conveying news items and matte rs of educa­ parents of Third Form boys, placing before them the alternatives available in the tional significance to th e whole family, and different "streams" of the senior school. About two hundred were present. of keeping individual members and groups It is intended that the mid-year meeting should inform parents as fully as aware of how the others are thinking . possible on the broad range of careers open to their sons in a country developino' as Australia is today. Details will be issued later. ." Mutual understanding and respect can have only beneficial results for the College. The Preparatory School Auxiliary and Campbell House Parents have begun their regul ar meetings, the fOl'mei: with Mrs. J. M. Williams as president, the latter with If Ad Astra he lps to promote these, the Mrs. I. E. Ba,ckwell as preSident and Mrs. A. McL Scott as secretary. Information effort will be fully justified. on both bodies is obtainable from the office of the Preparatory School. FAMILY TALK Our Presidents Say • • • All who heard Dr. Geoffrey Newman­ i\Iorris's bright address on Speech Day, Dr. eith Torode is in his second erm as Mr. Frank Brown is retiring from office after 1968, were delighted to find that he was the Parents' and Friends' President. His elder two years as President of the Old G eelong knighted soon afterwards. though the son, lan, was head prefect in 1967. Hugh, Colleg ians' Association. He attended the honour was for his services to the R ed the younger, is still a Colleg e. College 1940-45. Cross. The Executive of the Parents' and For nearly 70 years the O.G.C.A. has i\Irs. Lois Hurse, who received the award Friends' Association ,\"elcome the forma­ given constant sen'ice to the College. but of O.B.E.. is known to m any College tion of the new Ad Astra. and \\;sh to ince 1964, with the introduction of the people, notably the members of the work extend to those responsible their best new Constitution. Old Boys ha\'e had party at St. Philip's in 1964. In recent mshes for the inaugural edition and its greater scope for taking part in Associa­ years. Irs. Hurse has been Victorian future developments. tion acti'i;ties. They ha\'e made good u e president of the War Widows' Guild. We feel that the linking of interes of of their opportunities and each year has Old Collegians. Parents a11d Friends is seen a steady ad\'ance. There were no real departures from the for the good of all those concerned \,;th staff at the end of 1968. With Mr. Barley the daily activity and future e::q)ansion Details of acti'i'ities in 1968 ha\'e been going overseas on leave, 1r. Keith to the of any facet of school life. cO\'ered in the report issued in Februal'y, Old Boys. and 1'. Whitton to the Pre­ and you mIl ha\'e seen that Old Boys paratory School, the seniors have acquired The past publication of The College responded \\ell to the appeal for the Build­ 1\11'. H. Bausor (maths), Mr. A. Morgan Parent has fulfilled a very useful purpose. ing Fund despite a difficult year for many. (humanities) and Lt. Col. N. Turner particularly over the period of the (maths and cadets). Lt. Col. Dunkley, :\Iorrison Hall Appeal. the success of which The year was also close to a record formerly O.C. cadets, is still taking his full for reunions, which were well attended teaching progTamme. Mr. L. Hatton re­ and in\'ariably happy gatherings. I \TIl] joined the Prep. staff after leave abroad. long remember the pleasant occasions that I spent mth those whose reunions I could Dr. :\1. A. Buntine, Principal of the . attend: this is especially true of the pre- College 1946-60, was intending to retire 1920 gathering held at the College on from Knox Grammar School teaching October 12. staff until he was requested to stay on for another year: so his planned caravan In 1969, the beginning of construction tour of Australia must wait. of the Rolland centre will realize the hopes of fi\'e years' effort. It is encouraging to :\1r. Thwaites has announced that the have this practical demonstration of the College Council received $31,852 from the estate of the late Dr. R. R. Wettenhall, himsef a member of the Council for 30 years and father of the present Chair­ man, Dr. orman Wettenhall. Mr. John M. Hobday, of Nhill, the father of three recent Collegians, has provided a prize which will be known as Dr. KEITH TORODE "The Hobday Prize for Service to the College." The first winner was R. D. gratifies all and must be an indication of Grover. the confidence tha t donors have in the administra tion and academic success of Mr. Dugald Williamson has made the College under the Principal and his several visits to the College to indicate staff. University "angles" to senior classes in With the apparently ever-increasing English Literature. complexity of problems related to the correct assessment of their sons' abilities, Gifts to the College include early issues and the associated need to develop the of The Pegasus from Mr. Reg. Littlejohns, personality of our future citizens, parents history books from Mr. Louis Mathews, and friends of the College have a grov.;ng and a reproduction of an engraving of~ desire to read as much as can be pub­ Mr. FRANK BROWN the early College from Mr. Peter GriffithS.... lished of the interests and activities in The Rev. W. W. I ngram, who died on this school to which they hold an allegi­ confidence of the College Council in the ance.